Let's catch the train from London for lunch in Bordeaux

Fancy catching the train from London to Bordeaux, having a quick lunch at the legendary La Tupina, maybe a wine tasting, and then back to England in time for dinner? 

A direct high speed train that would take passengers from London to Bordeaux in under five hours could be in operation by 2020, according to the chief executive of the HS1 rail network, interviewed by Drinks Business.

Anyone travelling by rail from London to Bordeaux at the moment has to change trains in Paris. The London-Bordeaux route takes around 5 1/2 hours and the return journey six hours.

The proposed new direct service would cut journey times to well under five hours in both directions, through a direct route and security controls located in Bordeaux. 

The proposed route bypasses Paris and takes advantage of a newly completed 302-kilometre French high-speed rail line linking the Loire Valley town of Tours with Bordeaux.

“As we’ve seen with the recent introduction of the Eurostar London-Amsterdam service, there’s a real demand for international train services to provide a comfortable and better-connected service, especially for leisure journeys,” said Dyan Crowther, chief executive of HS1 Ltd.

“This is the first time that railway operators have collaborated in this way and saves the train operator having to do a lot of legwork. The route is almost ready for a train operator to turn up and turn the key as soon as the UK and French Governments agree on border controls.

“With the right commitment, we could be looking at new services in the next couple of years. The service will take passengers direct from city centre to city centre, taking the hassle out of travel to south-west France.”